Gravity
by Cherry tiger
Summary: All they've been doing since they first started working together was keep moving forward and never looking back. But when one person has fallen, and the other is forced to stop, what would they think of themselves now? HiruMamo. Saikyoudai setting.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers:** I do not own any of the characters used here. They belong to their respective owners, namely the creators of Eyeshield 21.

**Notes:** I've been sick the past couple of days with cough and cold, and so the idea for this fic came into mind. What bothered me the most about writing this was the fact that this might turn out to be so darn cliched. There are many fics out there that cover the idea of either Hiruma or Mamori being sick, and what happens, etc. So I have no idea what prompted me to just write this first chapter anyways. I guess as my best friend, Elis, said when I told her of my predicament, it's probably just because I wanted to "get this out of my head". So I guess I'm just writing this to pen down my own idea of "the many possible HiruMamo adventures in Saikyoudai". XD

So here's a laidback, somewhat slow, short fic for you guys to enjoy the next few weeks. Next chapter should be up sometime next week.

* * *

It all started with a slight itch in her throat.

A little irritated but unperturbed, Mamori cleared her throat as she focused on going through the data Hiruma, Captain of Saikyoudai's American Football team, had just passed to her. While it wasn't necessary for her to get this done soon, she had hoped to finish this quickly so she could finally work on that report she received the day before. Without taking her eyes off her computer, she rubbed her throat with one hand trying to sooth the itch that developed into a cough every time she tried to clear it.

On the other side of the table was Hiruma, eyes glued as ever to the latest model of Sony Vaio.

The crease on his forehead deepened from concentration to irritation with Mamori's repeated coughing distracting him. "If you're going to be this fucking annoying, you might as well head home," he said to her as he began to retype the data she'd previously organized.

But Mamori shook her head. "I'll get this done soon enough," she said, as she coughed a little. "Just excuse me for a moment. I'll get some water."

Having helped him move in and cleaning up after him most of the time, she knew his apartment like the back of her hand. She automatically reached into the cupboard for a glass and began to pour herself a glass of water from a flask by the sink.

The water may have cooled her throat, but the itch remained and this bothered Mamori. Could she be falling sick? Thoughts of the million and one things she had to do flashed through her mind and she mentally went through a list of the people she'd met who might've passed the bug to her. Concluding that she hadn't met anyone who looked or even acted sick, she ignored it and resumed working on the data, trying her best not to make any noise or let her throat distract her.

By the time she was done, it was already 8pm. Hiruma offered to walk her home but she declined, reminding him that she was going to meet her mother for dinner. The air was chilly, and did nothing to ease the itch. She continued to cough softly, which seemed to bother those around her, especially those in the bus. That's strange… she thought to herself. It's just a light cough.

As she reached her neighborhood, she alighted from the bus and headed towards a nearby family restaurant. Her mother waved eagerly at Mamori as she headed towards the table. She hugged her mother before sitting down. "How are you, mom? How's dad? Still not feeling well?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "Your dad's fine, he just overworked himself. He wanted to come for this dinner, but I insisted he stay in. It's not good to run around especially in this weather."

Mamori laughed lightly and nodded. "That's true, it's been chilly lately."

"How about you, Mamori? How's college? You just came back from Hiruma's place, right?"

Mamori smiled nervously. She had mentioned Hiruma so frequently in conversations with her mother that she no longer called him 'The Football Captain' or 'The Demon-Looking Boy'. Her mother seemed comfortable now to call him Hiruma. "Yeah, we're preparing for the next tournament in the upcoming season."

"But that's still a few months away," her mother replied as she passed a menu to Mamori.

"Two months," corrected Mamori, taking the menu and looking through. "But we're not taking any chances. The other teams are getting stronger, and as we're a team that relies not only on our strength, but on our ability to think and plan beforehand, we have to prepare now."

"How're you coping with your studies, then?" her mother asked, looking worried. "I spoke to Sena's mother and she says he's flooded with assignments, and he still insists on being in the football team! I know you don't play, but I'm worried about your workload."

"I'm fine, mom," she insisted, but the itch in her throat chose that moment to act up, and Mamori let out a cough.

Her mother's eyebrows shot up. "Mamori, that doesn't sound too good."

Mamori shook her head and cleared her throat a little. "It's nothing, really, I'll just order some hot tea and soup," she said as she looked to call a waiter.

But Mamori's mother, being a mother, could not help worrying. "You don't have a cold, do you?"

Mamori shook her head again, trying her best to ignore the itch and remain as calm and collected as possible. "No, just a slight itch in my throat. Really, Mom, there's nothing to worry about."

But throughout their dinner, Mamori noticed the crease in her mother's forehead would not go away. No matter how she tried to come up with better topics (talking about her team members and how much stronger they would be, or how interesting she found her subjects to be), they did nothing to put her mother at ease. After dinner, as she left to take a bus back to her place, her mother grabbed her arm and said, "Call me if you start feeling unwell."

Mamori resisted the urge to scoff, having told her mother a million times that she was fine. But as the itch in her throat grew, her own instincts began to nag at her that something might be off. So she held her mother's hand for a moment and nodded as she went on the bus.

The next morning, Mamori woke up with the itch in her throat blown to a full out sore throat and a headache.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes:** I decided as it was my birthday, I'd be a little more giving and post this chapter early. Not sure when the next chapter will be out. Still ironing out some details. Again, some slow development here but I hope it's okay and I hope you guys enjoy this somehow. ^^

* * *

Contrary to popular belief among his peers, Hiruma actually really did care about those around him although he definitely refused to show it. Yes, he pushed them around a lot and tends to injure them with his bullets, but he understood that people had their limits. And that sometimes, only sometimes, it's better to accept these limits.

He was often reckless when it came to pushing himself, and he would give the same treatment to the other players under him. Especially the Devil Bats, whom he knew had potential although it wasn't the same now. Compared to the Devil Bats that needed a lot of pushing initially, Saikyoudai Wizards was a lot easier to handle as most of them were smart enough to know their limits, and know how much to push themselves. Sans the other hundreds of players, that is. They needed lots of pushing, but if they wanted to be a part of the regulars, that's what they had to do.

That said he still looked out for them. And together with Anezaki, they both ensured the team was in top condition. He knew he could depend on her, because no matter how far ahead he was, she was there right behind him.

So when he saw the way she was yesterday, he could sense something was wrong. He didn't want to say anything as it may have bothered her of where he was looking, but the first thing he noticed was how pale her lips were. He's seen those lips painted light red from the lip balm she wears when out at the field. And he's seen them in plain, healthy pink as they worked late nights at his place. They looked nothing like how it looked yesterday.

And that was when he noticed that her complexion was getting pale as she was about to leave. This alone was enough to prompt him to take some action. He insisted on walking her home, but she assured him that she was fine and that she was going to meet her mother anyways. She seemed persistent, so in a rare case of accepting defeat, he allowed her to do what she wanted.

The way she was bugged him all morning as he prepared his coffee and settled before his laptop to browse through the data collected so far. That was when his phone began to ring. He had many phones, but he recognized that particular one as only she had the number to that phone.

He answered it nonchalantly. "Don't you have a class to attend, Fucking Manager?"

"Urgh! You know that's not true since you memorized my schedule, Hiruma-kun…" she replied, though she sounded different.

Hiruma stopped looking at his laptop. Too many signs. Something is definitely up. "Oi, you sound horrible."

"It's just a cold, it's no big deal."

There it is again, her persistency to push her limits. "Doesn't sound like it's just a cold."

"Think what you want," she sighed. Her breathing seemed irregular. "I called because I just remembered I had some data on the new players back at my place that I forgot to pass to you. I'll come over in a bit then I'll head to class."

He frowned. "It's pretty cold outside."

"I'll just wear extra layers," she insisted. "It's just a quick run! And I've taken some medication. I'll be all right. It's just one class today. After that, I'll definitely go straight back and rest."

"Don't be such a masochist, Fucking Manager. Stay at home."

There was a pause for a moment, before she finally said, "I'll skip class but I'll make a quick trip to your place. Then I'll head home, okay?"

He wanted to argue over this, but he realized a part of him really wanted to see her. He grunted in annoyance and she took it as a signal of approval.

Hiruma waited as patiently as he could, distracting himself by going through some old data from other teams, or going online to see if there was any news worth noting. But he soon realized that she was taking a lot longer than usual. He looked out the window and cursed loudly.

It had snowed. Not a lot, but it was enough to drop the temperature beyond comfort. Of all the fucking times! He quickly grabbed his sweater and jacket, and rushed out. A strong gust of wind blew towards him as he stepped outside, cold and unforgiving. He began to curse even more.

He rushed towards the bus stop where he knew she would alight from, but he needn't go far as he saw Anezaki walking from the bus stop slowly. Her eyes were blank and her face looked a lot paler than yesterday. She wasn't wearing the 'many layers' as she had promised and she was shivering…

AND she was carrying her books and her laptop! He ran towards her and the first thing he did was grab her stuff from her, then shouted, "Are you fucking crazy?"

Mamori snapped out of her dazed state upon hearing him. "Ah, Hiruma-kun…" she murmured. "I'm sorry… it started snowing while I was in the bus and…"

He wasted no time to listen to her explanation. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her quickly back to his place. As he held her, his fears were confirmed. She was definitely sick, and she was getting a fever.

They didn't say a word as they walked back to his place, as the cold wind made it harder for Hiruma to keep Anezaki warm. When they finally did, he put her stuff down and proceeded to put the heater on high.

"But your electricity bill!" He heard her protest.

"If you want to fucking worry over something, worry about yourself!" he scolded her as he finally took a good look at her. She was not in a good state at all. She wasn't looking at him straight, and she looked like she would collapse anytime soon.

"But… but…" He watched as she struggled to come up with an excuse as to why she was here, why she had to be here. "The… data…"

"It's just about the new players, that can fucking wait." He sighed as he held her wrist and led her to his couch. "Sit, I'll make you some coffee… and I'll put in that fucking disgusting sweet stuff that you like."

She didn't display any form of retort. He frowned as he watched her stare blankly ahead, but he proceeded to make the coffee, as he contemplated whether it was safe to take Anezaki out, when to take her to the doctor and whether or not to alert her parents.

As he brought the coffee towards her, he was now presented with a bigger problem than he had expected.

Mamori had passed out now, and as he placed his hand on her forehead, he cursed loudly.

Her fever had shot up. And she was sweating profusely now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes:** I still have no idea what I'm aiming to do with this fic. I get this vague feeling like I'm experimenting a different type of writing style. But even so, I would've at least have a rough idea of what I intend to do. Ah well. Seeing as you guys has still found a way to enjoy this, here's chapter 3. ^^

* * *

Panicking was not a part of Hiruma's dictionary. When presented with a crisis, it would take him, a minute tops to at least figure out a temporary solution. But as he watched Anezaki's ragged breathing, something tugged within him that made his heart stop just for a second.

Refusing to lose precious seconds doing something as frivolous as figuring out what that feeling was, he simply pushed it away and began to plan what to do. He picked her up bridal style and brought her to his room, laying her uncharacteristically gently on his bed then set to quickly covering her with blankets. He rushed to his cupboard and dragged another comforter over her. He remembered being told a long time ago that fevers should be sweated out, and as the weather was cold, this was the best he could do.

He stared at Anezaki for a moment, as though he was looking for some form of assurance before heading towards the kitchen cabinet to look for the first aid kit Anezaki had left there "just in case". He opened it and found some pain relief tablets that he felt sure could help her temporarily. He was no doctor, but he knew this much. She needed to eat something though, or drink something much more substantial than just water.

He looked in the fridge and gave a short sniff of relief and slight derision. She had bought milk, even though he never needed it. Has she been over that often? Taking out the milk, he brought out a saucepan and prepared to heat it.

As he waited for the milk, he contemplated on the current situation. Was it possible to delay analyzing the data? He could probably pick up after her… but there was still the matter of watching over team practices and keeping record of the new players' progress. He was sure he could pass this on to someone else, like Yamato. But still, he felt hesitant to do so.

Because he was just too used to her.

Once the milk was warm enough, he turned off the stove and poured it in a mug, which was definitely hers. He had only seen her use it occasionally, the white mug with the black kitty motifs. Again, he'd seen it in use late at night as they went through mountains of data and videos together. She would make coffee for both of them, and he saw her take a sip from hers as she passed his cup of coffee to him. He remembered she had a small smile of contentment, drinking that dark liquid definitely mixed with some other concoction to make it less strong. He remembered sneering at her, telling her she didn't know how to appreciate good coffee. He remembered enjoying her reaction as she told him off, about being allowed to 'mess with the coffee' whichever way she wanted…

Hiruma blinked. How had his mind wandered that far? He shook his head and proceeded to bring the warm milk, a glass of water and pain killers to his room.

Anezaki lay rather still and on her side, although her breaths were now much slower than when he'd first seen her today. He wasn't sure if he should wake her, so he sat by the side of the bed, watching her face that looked calmer than he had ever seen it before. He had seen that face light up with joy, or turn red in anger or embarrassment, he'd seen her expressions change from determination to shock and surprise, and even watched as she cried for everyone around her. Her face was always filled with emotions. So right now…

Right now she felt very far away. Hiruma placed a hand across her forehead, noting that her fever was still there though it didn't seem to be rising. He could not help but to allow his hand to trail across her cheek for a moment. Finally deciding it was time to wake her, he shook her shoulders a little, calling out to her. "Anezaki."

She stirred a little as he continued to speak her name. "Anezaki."

Finally, her eyes flew open and she looked around her, blinking rapidly. She groaned a little. "Hiruma…?"

Hiruma let out a sigh that he wasn't sure was out of relief or frustration. "You're in my room. Can you sit up?"

She nodded as she pushed herself up, Hiruma supporting her back. "I think I'm really sick," she said, her voice sounding cracked.

Hiruma cackled a little. "Well, that's a fucking given. Come on, I got you something to drink so you can take some medicine."

He brought the mug close to her, but noticed she was frowning. "No, I should go back, I shouldn't—"

"Just shut the hell up and drink, Anezaki," he scolded. "You're already being quite a pain as it is." He bit his lip a little, wondering if that was too rash.

But she didn't look offended by his reaction. She stared at him in shock for a moment, then nodded as she looked down. "I'm sorry…" she murmured. "I didn't mean to…"

"Now's not the time to apologize," he said, as he guided her to hold the mug and place it close to her lips. "Drink this, take the medicine, and rest. I'll take care of everything else."

He knew she was going to protest on him 'taking care of everything else' as she opened her mouth to say just that. So before she could tell him that she could still work, he tipped the mug and forced Mamori to sip the milk. It made her cringe from the heat, and surely if her throat was sore, it would have been hard to swallow. But after her initial reaction, she chugged on as though she was determined not to cause any more trouble. When she was done, Hiruma passed her the medicine and the warm glass of water, which she took both silently, before finally laying down to rest.

Hiruma watched her eyes flutter close as she slowly drifted away. At least that went well, he thought to himself. Now to handle some other issues.

He took out one of his phones and proceeded to dial a number. Placing the phone to his ear, he waited for a moment. Then said, "Is this the Anezaki residence?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes:** Well, this took a while, didn't it? I'm sorry for the delay. Work has piled up a bit, and I don't know why I kept pushing this story aside. But I finally pushed myself to finish this (with the help of Elis) and it's now done. A big thank you to Bar-Ohki for informing me of Mamori's mother's name according to the English mangas. Seriously, I don't know why it's so hard to find information like these... -_-

There's one more chapter to go with this story (if all goes well). But I have a hunch that there might be another final chapter to go with that, depending on my mood of writing at the time. The problem is that November is about to arrive, and when it's November... it's NaNoWriMo time! I have no idea when will I work on this next chapter, but hopefully I take a short break from NaNoWriMo to pursue this an another ongoing fic for a bit. Till then, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Honjou Taka sat idly in the study room, reading an English novel he had borrowed from the library. He would have loved to read it outside of the campus, where he could find a quiet spot underneath one of the trees and have some peace there. But it was cold today, so he was forced to stay inside with people whispering or pointing at him as they walked past or sat nearby. A lot of people around him knew who he was, and tended to find the wide receiver's reading hobby a little odd. But there were also some who thought reading suited his rather quiet personality, giving him the image of a deep thinker.

On the contrary, Taka only read these novels because the idea of other people experiencing such strange predicaments that could only be found in such novels, fascinated him. Angst, heartbreak, hope, rebellion… All of these were things he found vaguely familiar when he stood on the football field, watching those around him. But once outside the field, these things eluded him to the point of fascination. Silent fascination. Despite his curiosity, he still preferred to stay an observer.

The sound of a beep distracted him from his reading. Tearing his eyes away from his book, he looked up to see Yamato Takeru, who seemed to have just ended a conversation as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Who did you talk to?" asked Taka.

Yamato approached the table Taka was at in the study room and took a seat himself. He let out a little sigh before explaining to Taka. "Got a call from our Captain," he said, grinning a little as he recalled how Hiruma Youichi deemed himself the leader of the Saikyoudai Wizards before anyone could protest. Not like they could anyways, seeing that he had a 'weapon' that could silence them all.

Taka blinked, finding the idea of the head demon calling Yamato strange. Normally, he would just silently nod and not question further. But if it involved Hiruma… "He called you? Why?"

"Believe it or not, he's fallen sick," answered Yamato, still grinning. "He didn't give any details on what kind of sickness he's got, but he said that as he won't be around for practice, he's letting the two of us take care of things for now."

Taka raised an eyebrow. "Two of us? What about Anezaki-san?"

"Seems that he's roped her in to assist him, more so now that he's unwell," said Yamato. "So he's probably gonna keep her caged up until he deems it fit."

"That's a strange thing to do…" Taka frowned. "If his sickness is contagious, then it isn't good to keep her close to his side."

Yamato chuckled a little as he rested his elbows against the table. "Maybe he's already spread it to her. It won't be surprising since they're always together."

Taka contemplated this for a moment. What Yamato said was true, they were always together. Only on rare occasions would he catch them separately, heading towards their own classes. He would sometimes catch Anezaki studying with a group of her own friends here in the library. Or he would find Hiruma in the club house alone, going through some of the plays. But other than that, they were always together. Always discussing, always bickering, always looking out for each other, almost like…

Yamato grinned, noting the change in Taka's facial expression. "I'm sure your guess is as good as mine with what's going on with those two," said Yamato. "They're definitely an interesting pair."

Taka nodded, as he glanced at the novel still in his hands. Ah yes, there was always something about these stories that fascinated him too. Was it happening between their captain and his manager? Yet for some reason, he had a feeling that none of the novels he read would have the ability to capture what was really going on between those two. They're quite… different.

"Well, no use thinking about those two," said Yamato, breaking Taka's line of thought once more. "We have quite a lot of work to do. Starting with… feeding that demon dog."

The image of Cerberus starving and chasing after them made Taka frown. Sure, they had the ability to dodge and escape it, but that dog was still a pain. Sighing, Taka nodded and got up with Yamato.

oOo

Anezaki Mami found it hard to believe that the boy, whom she had heard so much about from her daughter, and had seen only a number of times, had called her. For a moment, she thought that it may have been a prank, but Hiruma Youichi assured her that this was no prank and that her daughter had fallen ill.

It was at times like these that she wished she had trusted her motherly instincts more. She knew Mamori was about to fall ill, but she had thought that her daughter could take care of herself. The fact that Mamori left her home to go to his place baffled her. It was rather unusual, and she wondered if the stress of classes and football had finally gotten to her.

She finally arrived at Hiruma's place, checking the small piece of paper that she scribbled the address on carefully. Once she was sure, she promptly knocked on the door.

Hiruma answered the door, being strangely polite. "Thank you for coming," he said.

"No, no," Mami shook her head. "I'm sorry that my daughter has caused you so much trouble. Where is she? I'll go check on her."

Hiruma nodded. "You can leave your things on the table… if you don't mind." It was obvious that the boy was feeling rather uncomfortable.

She smiled, amused by the sight. While Mamori was still at Deimon, there were days when she would come back frustrated and obviously agitated. When Mami asked why, her daughter poured out her anger… how the football captain was rude to her, how he tended to mistreat her and the rest of the team, how he would just laugh at other people's pain. She knew her daughter wasn't lying, so it was a strange sight to see Hiruma, the known demon, be so polite.

She placed the bag she had brought on the table and followed Hiruma to, where she guessed, was his room. She saw Mamori, asleep and lying pretty still. Mami kneeled by the bed and pressed her hand against Mamori's forehead.

Instantly Mamori's eyes opened. "Mom…" she whispered. "Why…?"

"Oh, Mamori, I warned you, didn't I?" said Mami, looking very concerned.

Mamori groaned. "I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me. Are you… taking me home?"

Mami shook her head. "Your father won't be home until late, and I really don't recommend moving around in this weather, especially at night."

"But… Hiruma-kun…"

Mami looked at Hiruma at this point as he stood by the doorway. He merely shrugged at her, feigning ignorance over this predicament. She looked back at Mamori and said, "You'll have to stay here until tomorrow. I'll tell your father to take some time off to come and pick you up. Until then, all I can do is prepare something for you to eat and give you some medicine before I head back."

"Urgh…" was all Mamori could say as she tried to get up. Mami was about to stop her when she realized her daughter was getting up to look at Hiruma.

She watched as the two of them shared a look for a moment, no words uttered between them until finally, the boy cracked into a grin and said, "I'll let you know." With that, he walked away.

Mamori laid back, letting out a sigh. "What was that?" asked Mami.

"Eh… what?" she replied.

"Just now, between you and Hiruma… That was an odd exchange."

"Oh, that…" Mamori closed her eyes, as though in deep thought. "I was just letting him know that I'm really sorry and I intend to pay him back."

Mami blinked in surprise. "But you guys didn't say anything! You didn't even use those hand signals you showed me before!"

"Hmm… I suppose you're right…"

"So how did he know?" Mami pressed on.

Mamori looked at her mother and shrugged a little. "I used to give him that look before… especially during those times when I'd use his laptop and accidentally delete some files or I didn't save it properly. He knows what it means."

Mami's jaw dropped a little, noticing how unnerved her daughter was. She was tempted to point out that such forms of communication is unheard of until it occurred to her that Mami herself had done it before…

With her own husband.

"Mom?" said Mamori, looking at her mother curiously. "Are you all right?"

Mami snapped out of her thoughts and quickly shook her head. "It's nothing, dear. It's almost past lunch now. I'll go make you something to eat. In the meantime, get some rest."

Mamori nodded, her eyes wandering for a bit before finally closing them.

Mami stepped out of the room to find Hiruma in front of his laptop in the small hall, something which she knew he tended to do thanks to her daughter. "I'll be cooking lunch. Mind if I use the kitchen?"

Hiruma nodded wordlessly, and proceeded to show her the kitchen, also directing her where the utensils were. Mami was a little surprised by how orderly everything was, until she remembered that Mamori came here often. She knew her daughter would not sit still until everything was in its proper place and it was kept that way.

Mami then took out the ingredients she brought in her bag and proceeded to prepare and cook porridge. It was a simple dish, and one she knew Mamori would crave whenever she was feeling unwell. Once done, she prepared two bowls and poured the porridge in both of them.

She took one of the bowls and was about to enter Hiruma's room, but she stopped to look at the boy, still in front of his laptop and said, "I'm sure you haven't eaten yet. I made some porridge for you too, if that's all right. If you think it's too bland, I put the seasonings beside the bowl."

She saw the boy's eyes twitch a little, and he frowned in annoyance. But it was quickly replaced with his usual poker face, and with his eyes still glued to the screen, he nodded.

Mami then went to bring Mamori her food, and sat beside her as she watched her daughter eat the porridge slowly. Mamori smiled. "I've always liked this…"

Mami laughed. "You say that every time I make this for you when you're unwell. Somehow, it feels as though you haven't changed a bit."

Mamori frowned childishly. "I have! There's just… some things that would probably stay the same. Like my love for creampuffs."

Mami nodded. "Yes, yes… there are some things that will never change. Yet even so…" she glanced at the doorway for a moment. "I have a feeling there's still a lot of changes waiting ahead of you."

Mamori looked at her mother curiously, but she didn't pursue the matter. She soon finished her lunch, and Mami gave her daughter some medicine, and watched over her a moment as Mamori finally drifted back into a deep sleep.

Once she was sure it was all right, Mami got up and left the room. She wasn't sure what she had expected to see outside the room, but she definitely wasn't expecting the dishes to all be clean and a cup of hot coffee waiting for her at the table. She looked at Hiruma, to find him still in front of his laptop, busily typing.

"Did you…?" she started, but Hiruma cut her off.

"Thanks for lunch," he said really quickly.

Mami smiled knowingly as she sat at the table and took a sip of her coffee. It was sweet… a little too sweet. Did he expect her to have the same taste as Mamori? "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"It's nothing," he replied, still keeping his eyes on the screen. Mami felt as though there was more to his reply, but not knowing much about this boy, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"She's quite a handful, isn't she?" said Mami, taking another sip of her coffee. She was sure she saw a smile appear at the corner of the boy's lips. "You know… while I was taking care of her just now… I remembered something."

The boy did not respond, but she could tell that he was listening.

"When Mamori was small, she used to help me around the house a lot. Even during primary school, she'd always help me after classes. Then one day she fell ill… a fever and a sore throat, just like this one."

The boy's typing did not slow, though his eyes glazed a little.

"So she stayed home, and I told her to stay in her room and rest. And yet… she'd follow me. She wanted to help me do the chores as well. I told her that she couldn't. That she'd fall even sicker. But she insisted to at least be with me. While I was doing the laundry, she'd wrap herself in a blanket and watch me from a distance. While I folded the clothes, she'd lean against me, sleeping. When I'm cleaning one of the rooms, she'd be in there. I never did grasp what was really going on and why she did it. But for some reason, today… I finally understand why."

Hiruma stopped typing. Mami wasn't sure whether the boy understood what she'd said, he seemed to have registered her words, but he wasn't showing any reaction. Mami finished up her coffee and proceeded into the kitchen. She then began to pack up, carefully leaving some canned food on the table, knowing that they might need it.

Hiruma had left his laptop by then, watching her as she picked up her bags and headed towards the door. Hiruma opened it, and muttered, "Thanks…"

It was so silent that Mami nearly missed it. But she caught it just in time to see the boy blushing lightly. Mami suppressed a laugh. With a deep bow, she said to him, "Please look after her."

And without looking at the boy's reaction, Anezaki Mami walked off, feeling oddly pleased.

* * *

**Extra Notes:** What Mamori's mother says at the end is actually quite interesting... if I kept it in Japanese. "Kanojo wo yoroshiku onegai shimasu" would be what I'dve written there. Kanojo can be used to refer to a girl, like the terms she or her. But it is also commonly used to refer to a "girlfriend"... Yeah. It can be an easily misunderstood word, depending on the sentence.

And if you don't know yet, "yoroshiku" pretty much means completely leaving one's self in another person's care. It's a pretty powerful word in the Japanese language, which shows trust and vulnerability. And with that, I shall leave you wondering how Hiruma's reaction to that would be. ^^


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes:** Wow, 2 months to get this chapter out? I totally apologize for that. November was NaNoWriMo month and December has to be one of the busiest and most stressful month for me. So the moment January kicked in, I told myself I HAD to get back into finishing this story!

Only to realize I can't finish it just yet. As I feared, I'm going to write another chapter which HOPEFULLY will be the last chapter that ties everything up... Unless I find more reasons to keep writing. Can't confirm anything. But then again, I see a lot of you are enjoying the fluff and I suppose you might be happy with that? XD If you are, great!

Simple, slightly fluffy (I wanted to make it more fluffy, I swear! But Mamori wouldn't comply!) chapter ahead. I hope to make the next chapter a little more interesting that fills in the blanks I made here. Enjoy!

* * *

The first thing Mamori heard before fully waking up was the sound of tapping. That sound always felt familiar somehow, like she had heard it over a million times by now. The image of the person who was usually the source of that sound began to form before her slowly-opening eyelids. But she soon realized that the tapping was irregular, and there were sounds of gunshots.

That's strange… she thought to herself, before finally opening her eyes.

It took a while for her to realize that she was not in Hiruma's room where she last remembered. She was lying down, instead, on the couch in the hall. A short peek outside revealed it was still dark and judging by how cold it felt, it must be in the middle of the night or maybe close to morning. But a thick, warm comforter lay where it was placed above Mamori, protecting her from the cold. And sitting right before the couch where she lay was Hiruma.

Sitting idly on the floor and leaning against the couch with a jacket on, it was not his laptop that he was tapping, but a game console controller. Mamori's eyes trailed the connection of the controller to what appeared to be a Playstation 3. Just above that, a television displayed a first shooter game with a character holding a rifle as he moved quietly through a dense forest.

The sight confused her. Him? Playing a video game? "Hiruma… kun?" she spoke up, a little hoarsely.

Tapping a few more times before finally hitting pause, Hiruma turned to Mamori with a grin. "You're finally awake," he said. "Not dreaming again are you?"

"Dreaming?" asked Mamori who was getting more confused. Was she really dreaming right now? After all, she was here in the hall, when she should have been in Hiruma's room. And Hiruma was here with her, wide awake and playing games. She sat up, still looking rather dazed, and suddenly felt the sharp cold landing on her bare hands. Pressing both hands together, she knew this wasn't a dream.

"Oi! Lie back down already!" Hiruma scolded. "It's still fucking cold and you're still sick!"

Mamori jumped at this, quickly nodded and laid back down, snuggling back into the warm covers. Everything felt strange now. Even though her senses were telling her she was definitely awake, everything still looked and felt like a dream. Hiruma barking out orders out of concern definitely did not fit the bill of his usual self.

But then again, it had been going on since she had fallen sick. "How long have I been here?" she asked him as he resumed playing.

"In a few more hours, you'd have been here for a day," he replied, eyes glued to the screen before him as the sound of rapid gunshots echoed through the hall.

"Why am I in the hall?" she continued to ask. "I thought I was in your room."

"You were," he grinned. "I was sleeping in the hall when you suddenly woke up and began to pester me."

"I-in my sleep?" Mamori gasped.

"Well, if you don't remember anything then that's pretty much it," he cackled softly. Though Mamori suspected it was not as simple as that. But she also knew Hiruma probably did not want to talk about it.

Mamori groaned a little. First, she ended up staying over at Hiruma's place. Now she had sleepwalked and bothered Hiruma even more? "I'm sorry…" she mumbled.

"Eh?" went Hiruma with an annoyed look.

"I said I'm sorry!" Mamori said a little louder, then coughing a little at the pain she felt in her throat. Hiruma said nothing as she took a few more breaths. "I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble. Here I am, sick, and intruding at your place. I'm keeping you from doing any work and even football practice. And even my own mother came!"

Hiruma frowned a little more when Mamori mentioned her mother. "What's wrong with your mother?"

"Nothing!" Mamori replied. "She's amazing, but I'm sure you were very uncomfortable having her around in your place."

Judging by Hiruma's expression, Mamori was sure she was right. Yet he neither agreed nor disagreed out loud, but merely focused on the game before him as his character threw a couple of bombs at what appeared to be enemy soldiers. His silence and strange distance made Mamori wonder if her mother could have said something to Hiruma, but she pushed it out of her mind. She really didn't want to think about it.

Sighing a little, and feeling even more awake, Mamori decided to watch what Hiruma was doing. "What are you playing? I didn't know you had a Playstation."

"Modern Warfare," Hiruma replied, grinning wickedly. "And this isn't mine. Got this off from some poor sucker who used my 'services' and couldn't pay me back."

Mamori blinked. "You're still using that black book of yours for other things?"

"I need the extra income," he stated matter-of-factly. "And besides, it's a fucking wonderful way for me to gain more information on all the idiots."

"That sounds really dangerous," said Mamori, looking worried.

"It's what I live for, Fucking Manager," he said as he shot a couple of more enemy soldiers up close completing the level with what Mamori thought was pretty high marks. "Keh, stupid game. That was way easier than I thought."

Mamori grinned a little as Hiruma then set up to play another level. He glanced at her and caught that smile. "What're you grinning about?"

She giggled in between a few light coughs. "Well, it's not every day that I get to see you play something that isn't just football. It's quite a nice change."

"Keh. My life isn't all just fucking football, you know," he said as he began to play a harder level. This time in a snowy, deserted army base.

"I know," Mamori replied, eyes still on Hiruma. "But we've made it such a big part of our lives that I guess we tend to forget. I admit, whenever I see you, the first thing that comes to mind is football data, planning strategies and organizing what needs to be done for the team."

Hiruma silently nodded as though he thought the same. "That's all we've been fucking doing since we first met, isn't it?" he said. "Of course, I initially made your damn life a living hell on purpose."

"Because I'm a girl, right?" Mamori laughed a little.

"No, because you being in the team was too fucking good to be true," he grinned. "Gotta admit, it was way too fucking easy. After all, I knew who you were. Anezaki Mamori. Part of the discipline committee. Very damn aggressive. Attempted to 'discipline' me a couple of times. That didn't work too fucking well, eh?"

"That's because you're a stubborn fool," sighed Mamori, though her smile remained. "But I still don't get why me joining the team was too good to be true."

"Cause I didn't think you'd end up liking football," he answered as he left the game idly to look at Mamori. "You're way too smart to want to join a club for a game of men trying to beat each other down. You're too smart to come down to that level. But fuck, you learned the game and came up to my level even faster than I could expect. I thought you'd be useful only in terms of cleaning, looking after the idiots and just getting the data together. Now you do more than just planning strategies with me, you practically…" Hiruma stopped himself, stiffening a little before facing the TV screen once more and continuing the game.

Mamori heard and saw all this curiously, her heart beating strangely fast. She wasn't sure what to make out of Hiruma's words, but whatever that was happening now was a rare occasion. She had never seen Hiruma this honest before… even if he has come up to her during a game, pouring his thoughts and fears of how things are faring. But this felt different… significant somehow.

Or her sickness was getting the best of her and she was merely over-thinking this. "I really didn't expect it either," she admitted, a smile lifting the corner of her lips. "I never really saw it as me stooping to a lower level. After all, I joined and learnt everything about football just so that I could protect Sena. How did I end up loving the game so much? Since when did I prefer investing every little time I have to analyze it? I can't remember anymore."

"Do you regret it?"

Mamori realized Hiruma had stopped playing the game to watch her intently, as though her reply to that question deserved all his attention. Again, that strange feeling resurfaced within Mamori as she gazed right back into his eyes. Was he worried that he had worked her to the point that she had fallen sick? Was that why he asked her that?

… Did he care for her that much?

Breathing slowly, she replied with a strong conviction, "Never."

Hiruma seemed content with that reply. His grin returned as he then resumed the game. Mamori watched him for a moment, as a million thoughts rushed through her head. She had never seen Hiruma like this before. But then again, whenever they met up, it was always with one goal in mind: to win at football. So seeing this side of Hiruma, talking about how he felt about her, asking her if she had any regrets… it was strangely personal.

Mamori then wondered if it was probably greatly needed at this point. Back in Deimon, when she was sick with a mild cold, or even when Hiruma had broken his arm, they didn't let anything stop them from claiming victory. They never paused to think about anything beyond that. They never stopped to even look at each other beyond their current roles.

And now that she could, a strange feeling began to grow within Mamori. It felt odd, like it was a new feeling, yet it had been around far longer than she remembered. It also made her feel strangely embarrassed, as she began to see Hiruma in a different light.

She thought she'd just blame it on the sickness for now. Feeling much better and more awake, she got up and sat next to Hiruma, covering herself with the comforter. He glanced at her curiously, as she continued to stare at the screen. "Wanna try playing?" he asked her as he nodded towards another controller near the game console.

Mamori hesitated, as she knew she would be terrible. She could barely use a laptop, what more a Playstation? But as she thought about it some more, she came to a strange conclusion. That as long as she was with him, things like that never really mattered. "All right," she replied, reaching out for the other controller.

Hiruma cackled gleefully as he exited his current game to start a new level. "Kekeke, don't expect me to go easy on you, Fucking Manager."

"I know you won't," said Mamori, shrugging. "But I may miraculously be able to defeat you just once."

"Keh, if that happens, I'll buy you a box of creampuffs."

"And if you win?"

Hiruma grinned as he set the level up for two players to fight against each other in what looked like an abandoned city. "Your debt to me will rise twofold."

"But you haven't told me what you want since I stayed in your place," said Mamori, nervously holding on to the controller.

"I'll tell you after the game," said Hiruma. And with that, they began to play.

* * *

**Extra Notes:** Any of you hate me yet? Again, I apologize for the serious lack of fluff. This chapter had so much potential, I know. But I couldn't get myself to do it, I have no idea why! I guess I really want to save it for the next chapter? Especially since it'll be done in Hiruma's POV? (And yes, that's a teaser for you, and I don't know why I intend to write fluff with HIRUMA's view. What's wrong with me?) I'll do my best with the next chapter, guys.

Until then, thank you all for the amazing comments and support for this story! ^^


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes:** And now the final chapter is out. I'm sorry it took so long! It's just been one insanity after another. I can only hope this chapter does justice for you guys. I'll talk more once you're done with the chapter. For now, enjoy!

* * *

Hiruma couldn't sleep that night after Anezaki's mother dropped by. Deep down he was really exhausted, but the more he tried to sleep, the more awake he felt. He cursed his overactive mind for over thinking things that really weren't worth that much thought.

Like, will she get better tomorrow? Or will she still be sick tomorrow? If she's still sick, should he just borrow the Fucking Old Man's truck and take her back to her parents' place? And if she was getting better, was it all right to start getting her to work on more Football related tasks? Surely it could wait some more?

He had already taken a big leap by telling the rest of the team that he was the one who was sick instead of Anezaki. He knew that the team would find it hard to believe that the Demon Captain of Saikyoudai had been taken down by a mere cold. But Anezaki was currently with him, and rumours would surely spread about Anezaki actually spending her downtime with _him_ and at his place no less. People would believe it if the Fucking Manager came here out of her own free will to take care of him when he was sick. No one would believe it was the other way around, not unless something was going on between them. He didn't give a fuck about the rumours, but he wondered if she would be fazed by such things, especially since they were now in college. Better to be safe than sorry. Besides, they'd sooner eat their own fucking socks than dare ask him about his condition.

But having given it some thought, he came to the realization that Anezaki never really cared about such rumours. Even back in Deimon during their third year, rumours had spread like wildfire that the two of them were dating. Some claimed that Hiruma had bewitched Anezaki, or blackmailed her into staying with him. Some took things even further by saying Hiruma had raped Anezaki and abused her, and she was hiding all this by pretending to be his girlfriend. There were a lot of sick rumours he discovered as he continued to collect more blackmail material. The Fucking Manager only knew about 24% of them, yet she brushed off each one of those rumours, squashing them with a laugh and then busying herself with studies and supporting the team.

Even with those rumours surrounding them, they never really noticed how much time they had spent together just working on Football. And perhaps in between laughing off those rumours and keeping busy with football, they never had time to think of anything but.

That was, until Hiruma decided that he wanted to go to Saikyoudai and the possibility of them parting ways hit him. That moment required him to consider how useful she was, and there was no denying that as long as she was with him, he had a high chance of crushing anyone in his way. Yet from there he began to develop this strange habit of observing her. He did this nonchalantly with everyone around him, but he little by little he found his attention lingering a little longer each time. Like he'd watch her eyes go up in cold flames when the opposing team insulted her own. Or the way she'd suppress a smile during Hiruma's "celebration" moments, letting just a small hint escape at the left corner of her lips.

He wasn't sure why, but knowing all these habits fascinated him. And it didn't help that the Fucking Manager soon began to invade his own personal space in this apartment. He wasn't too happy with her constantly coming in and touching his things as they worked, but he soon grew used to it. And he memorized the kind of cleanliness and order Anezaki liked. Mugs and cups in the top shelf. Plates and bowls in the shelf next to it. All dry ingredients in the cupboard next to the fridge. He enjoyed occasionally throwing her off by putting some things out of order. Unopened canned food in the fridge, chopsticks mixed with the spoons. She would get mad at him, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at him, but she'd then patiently put things back in order.

And without realizing it, he was following suit too.

Hiruma replayed all these thoughts and realized that the reason for his changes might be a lot more serious than he initially thought. In the end, he may have to admit to the fact that he might be…

"Hiru… ma?"

Hiruma's eyes snapped open. He quickly got up from the couch to see Anezaki, with the comforter wrapped around her shoulders, walking out of his room. "Fucking Manager, what are you…?" Hiruma trailed off as he watched Mamori walk out of the room aimlessly. He noticed that her eyes were still closed, and she kept murmuring to herself. The only words he could figure out were "Where?" and "Hiruma?"

He jumped off the couch the moment he saw Anezaki was about to walk into the dining table. He grabbed her arm and cried out, "Oi! Watch where you're going!"

It didn't take long for Hiruma to realize that Mamori was sleepwalking. Upon having her arm grabbed she turned and planted her face against Hiruma's chest. She continued murmuring into the soft flannel of his shirt, but Hiruma couldn't recognize the words. "What the fuck?" he cursed to himself, wondering why in the world she was sleepwalking like this.

He tried to lead her back into his room and make her lie down. But the moment he left the room, Mamori was back up again murmuring. He was about to make her lie down when Mami's story of how Mamori would follow her mother all over the house surfaced in his mind.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me…" went Hiruma, resisting the urge to smack his forehead. Mamori had gotten back up and heading straight towards him, murmuring to herself constantly. With a resigned sigh, knowing he'd have no sleep tonight, he led Mamori to the couch and made her lie there while he sat by the couch, watching over her.

To his relief, she didn't rise again. She looked calmer now, as though the dream she was having had finally settled now that he was near her. That calm, serene look on her face was enough to keep Hiruma's worries at ease. And he couldn't help but think, upon closer observation, that Anezaki was actually really pretty. And it must be quite nice to wake up every morning to see her sleeping face…

Stop. Hiruma scolded himself. He shouldn't be having this line of thought right now. He began to look around for things he could use to distract himself and found the Playstation he obtained from one of his so-called clients. Grinning, he looked for the game "Modern Warfare" that he also managed to extort from that client, and soon began to play.

He distracted himself well enough, discovering the many weapons available in this game with a grunt of approval, and figuring out which was best for the many different levels. For the first 15 minutes, it worked… as long as he kept his thoughts away from thinking of the Fucking Manager.

Then he heard her mumble softly, "Don't go…"

Hiruma instantly paused mid-play to take a closer look at Mamori. Placing a hand on her forehead, he noted she was still feverish which might explain the sleepwalking earlier as well as these strange mumblings. He sighed and wondered what to do as Mamori moaned uncomfortably. He then held on to Mamori's hand and whispered softly into her ear, "No one's going anywhere, Fucking Manager…"

Mamori clenched Hiruma's hand tightly and pressed it against her cheek. She then smiled and mumbled, "So glad… Hiruma-kun…"

It was a good thing that no one else was in Hiruma's place at that very moment, and that Mamori was now deeply asleep. Because the most rare and abnormal feeling surfaced as her words ran through his head. He'd heard her say a lot of sweet, strange words to him before, but it never crossed his mind how much they really meant. Leaning his head against the side of the couch, there was just no denying that feeling anymore.

He had fallen in love with the Fucking Manager.

Cursing lightly in his head, he waited for Mamori's grip on his hand to loosen before finally turning to face the TV before him. He took a deep breath as he resumed play, listening to Mamori's soft breathing.

He'd been vaguely aware of those feelings within him for years, not that he'd ever bothered or had occasion to examine them before. He began to wonder if these feelings were a good or a bad thing, and then another thought crossed his mind…

Was he even worthy of her? He was, after all, pretty much a delinquent. And even though in Saikyoudai he wore the image of a feared Football Captain, in the background he did a lot more than that. This Playstation could attest to that.

Maybe it was better off if he just never faced these feelings at all.

"Hiruma… kun?"

Hiruma turned to find Mamori awake, though her eyes were barely open. At least he was certain now that she wasn't sleepwalking or mumbling in her sleep. Putting all his earlier thoughts away for a moment, he paused his game and turned to her with a grin. "You're finally awake…"

oOo

They played that video game way until mid morning, before Hiruma finally realized he had succumbed to exhaustion. Hiruma woke up some time in the afternoon, lying on the couch. He wondered where Mamori was, only to find her at the dining table. She had made herself some coffee and upon seeing Hiruma had woken up, proceeded to make some for him too. "When did I knock out?" he asked her as Mamori prepared the coffee.

"Around the Hard level, as you were waiting to ambush me," said Mamori, pouring hot water into the mug. "Needless to say you were winning, but I should have guessed that you didn't get much sleep last night. It was surprising that I actually managed to shoot you! And then of course, I saw your eyes were closed."

Hiruma cackled a little. "So you won because I fell asleep?"

Mamori shook her head as she brought the coffee to him and they both sat at the dining table. "I wouldn't have won even if you were asleep. Even though I managed to shoot you in that round, I still couldn't figure out which button does what. I'd probably just end up killing myself again and again."

Hiruma cackled, remembering how they had played earlier. Mamori ended up pressing buttons randomly until she caused her character to commit suicide a couple of times. "Well, seeing as I fucking passed out, let's just leave it with a tie and finish the game later," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, my fever's down…" Mamori admitted. "My sore throat's still around but it can be controlled. Just give me a little more time and I'll be back on my feet."

"Don't have to fucking rush," said Hiruma, taking a sip of the hot bitter coffee. It tasted just as good as ever. "We still have time before the next game."

Mamori nodded. "But the team still needs training and I need to be there for them… for you, too," she added softly as she took a sip from her own coffee. Hiruma heard it though, but pretended not heard it.

"Don't worry, the team will manage for now," said Hiruma.

"How?" asked Mamori.

Hiruma grinned. "Got two of the fucking idiots from Teikoku to handle the club for now."

"Yamato-kun and Taka-kun?" cried Mamori in shock, but then slowly calmed down. "Well… actually, they would be able to handle the team temporarily. Did you tell them that I was sick?"

"Far from it," said Hiruma. "Told them it was me."

Mamori, who had been sipping on her coffee, nearly choked from hearing this. She coughed a little, before crying out, "Why?"

Hiruma shrugged, not really in the mood to explain himself. Mamori stared at him for a moment, before finally calming herself down and settled for giving him an incredulous look. They were silent for a moment, before Mamori suddenly smiled at Hiruma. He looked at her as she shook her head but Hiruma knew that she figured out why he made that lie.

It was moments like these that he was glad to know someone who didn't need his words to figure things out. They quietly finished their coffee and Mamori agreed to call her mother and head back once she had helped clear things up in his place.

As Mamori waited for her mother, she saw Hiruma was back on his couch, laptop set before him as he glanced through the latest news. She then sat next to him, glancing through the headlines as well. Then she spoke up, "What do we tell the rest of the club members when we see them tomorrow?"

Hiruma shrugged. "We'll figure it out when the time comes," said Hiruma. "I wouldn't be surprised if they concluded that there must be something going on between us already."

Mamori laughed a little. "Ah… those will never go away, will it?"

"With the way we're constantly together all the fucking time…" Hiruma grinned. "Don't think it'd go away even more after this."

Mamori smiled as she looked out of the window. It had stopped snowing now, and everything outside was blanketed in snow. "And yet even though we know this, we still intend to stick to each other."

Hiruma began to type on his laptop. "Well, I have no intention of letting you go anytime soon."

"And I don't think I can keep myself away from you even if I tried," Mamori replied, smiling softly.

"Am I that irresistible, Fucking Manager?" Hiruma joked, glancing at her.

Mamori laughed, but she seemed to lean on him a little more now. "In some way… I guess you're right. Because somehow, in your own nonsensical way, everything seems to make sense when you're around."

Hiruma could sense the warmth emitting from Mamori's body as she got closer. "You might regret saying that," he grinned.

"Maybe…" Mamori murmured. "But I won't regret all those times spent with you, and watching the team and you come out of that field victorious. And if I can contribute to that more… then I don't mind wearing myself out again just to witness that moment once more."

Hiruma stopped typing on his laptop to take a full look at Mamori. She looked back at him with that soft smile on her face. There was so much he wanted to say at that moment, something to express these strange feelings growing within him. But as he opened his mouth, Mamori's phone rang.

Mamori answered it and after speaking to it for a moment, she got up and walked towards the door, grabbing her coat on the way. "Mom is waiting for me outside, she borrowed the neighbour's car and is waiting for me by the side of the road. I told her that I'll go down and meet her instead."

"You sure you won't catch a fucking cold as you walk out?" asked Hiruma, cackling a little. "I should probably follow you or else you'll slip again."

Mamori put on her coat. "I'll be fine! Besides, I've caused you enough trouble and you didn't get enough sleep because of me. My mom will wait for me, no worries."

She gathered her bags and turned to Hiruma, who was still on the couch with his eyes still glued to the screen. She shrugged a little, wondering what she was expecting. Then said, "I'm going now, Hiruma-kun. Take care."

"Ah," came Hiruma's short reply.

Mamori nodded and opened the door. She was about to take a step out when she heard Hiruma's voice once more. "Wait."

Mamori blinked and turned around, to find Hiruma walking towards her. "What you said earlier," he began. "About you not regretting being with me, is it true?"

Mamori laughed nervously. "Hiruma-kun, you've been asking me this a lot. And I've already said I will never regret being with you. Why?"

Hiruma came up close to Mamori, his face inches away from hers. "Then don't regret this."

Suddenly Mamori felt something warm and soft pressed against her lips. Her mind went blank, and it took her what felt like forever to realize that Hiruma, the one who caused her so much frustration, so much joy, the demon captain of American Football… was kissing her. She closed her eyes, savouring the sensation, until Hiruma pulled away. She stared at his face that was grinning in the same way she's seen him many times before. Full of determination, and unending confidence.

"Your payback, Anezaki Mamori, for all the trouble you've caused me…," he said to her. "Is to wait for me."

Mamori looked straight into his eyes unwavering. "Wait? For?"

"I can't promise you anything right now," he told her. "I can't make you my main goal because I have bigger things to aim for. The Rice Bowl, for example. But someday, I intend to make you my main goal and any fucker who tries to take you away from me will feel my wrath. But until that day comes… wait for me."

Mamori felt her heart racing violently. She tried to swallow the immense feeling surfacing within her, but it only made her choke. The pain in her throat was not helping. She knew she was blushing now, and scolded herself for it.

Hiruma cackled a little. "Upon hearing that, are you still sure you want to be around me, Fucking Manager?"

Mamori turned her eyes away, biting her lip a little. It almost felt like she was making a deal with the devil, for sure. Yet even knowing that, there was no denying how much this demon meant to her. And raising her eyes back up to match his gaze, she told him, "Yes. I'll wait for you."

There was a strange expression on Hiruma's face that Mamori had never seen before. It surprised her for a second, but then she smiled softly and placed a hand on his cheek. "And I'll have something to say to you when that day comes," she said to him.

"Keh, I'll look forward to that then," he told her, as he took the hand on his cheek and held it for a moment. "Now go, your mother's going to be fucking worried."

They held each other's hand for a short moment, knowing that this was their one tiny moment together before everything went back to normal, before Mamori finally let go and began to walk out. Hiruma watched her for a moment before he closed to the door, and taking a deep breath, went back to what he normally does.

Mamori greeted her mother happily, who noted that Mamori was looking rather red and wondered if she had fallen sick again. Mamori quickly denied it, but Mami knew something was up with her daughter. Still, whatever it was, Mamori was smiling quietly to herself and it was definitely a good thing. So Mami decided not to take push it further and just brought her daughter home.

For in Mami's mind, she knew that her daughter and the boy named Hiruma were a lot like gravity. Not only have they made their lives revolve around each other, but it's certain now that no matter what happens, they can never stray too far from each other. With that thought, Mami couldn't help but look forward to the possible future for these two special people.

* * *

**Extra Notes:** And that's it for this fic, folks! I'm sorry if the ending seems a little unsatisfying. I was hoping to convey how during the time while Mamori was sick, they both realized a lot about each other, and how when one falls, the other seems to fall as well. Hence the title "Gravity". I hope that came across well!

This ending actually opened up a possibility of another fic that I had in mind for a while now, which further explores the option of how long Mamori should wait. But don't expect it anytime soon as I really want to work on finishing the other fic! That, and I think I've had my share of writing simple, light fluff for now. I'll write again once I'm in the right mood once more, which should be soon hopefully. After all, no matter how much I tell myself not to, I can't deny the desire to write more HiruMamo fluff.

For now, I would really like to say THANK YOU for the amazing support this fic has received. To those who commented, thank you for letting me know how much you love this fic. To those who faved or even set this story on alert, I really hope you enjoyed this fic and are satisfied with this ending! I truly appreciate each and every comment, fav and alert. THANK YOU.

Until next time, everyone! ^^


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